Citation

Haner D, Pepler D. J. Can. Acad. Child Adolesc. Psychiatry 2016; 25(3): 138-144.

Affiliation

Department of Psychology, York University, Toronto, Ontario.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2016, Canadian Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

27924143

PMCID

PMC5130086

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Young people in Canada prefer to use the Internet over face-to-face contact when seeking help for problems of daily living and mental health problems. Kids Help Phone (KHP) provides on-demand, anonymous help to young people via telephone and Live Chat technologies.

METHODS: Two hundred thirty-two phone clients and 230 Live Chat clients responded to a questionnaire at this otherwise anonymous service, providing previously inaccessible data about their individual characteristics and characterizations of the problems for which they sought help.

RESULTS: There was a larger proportion of weighty problems (mental health and suicide) among chatters than callers. There were also more non-heterosexual youth, and those who identified as Asian and Black African or Caribbean, using Live Chat than phone.

CONCLUSIONS: Implications for training Live Chat counsellors to respond effectively to chatters are discussed.

Language: en